Published at 15:50, Tuesday, 07 August 2012

ANTI-WINDFARM activists are claiming a victory after homes near turbines had their council tax bills cut.

CLOSE BY: Turbines from Askam windfarm situated over houses at Ireleth

Campaigners in Cumbria are viewing the government decision as a step towards an admission that wind turbines do affect properties and their value.

Scores of controversial applications have been submitted to planning authorities to build wind turbines across South Cumbria.

Potential reduction in house prices has been chief among many angry protesting residents’ complaints.

One group, Friends of Rural Cumbria’s Environment, says it knows of people who have had turbines erected near their homes and who have been told to expect the value of their property to drop.

Georgina Perkins, who is part of the campaign, said: “Lowering council tax brackets for houses affected by windfarms is a step that blatantly reflects the facts: homes can be ruined by wind turbines.

“Since 2006 we have faced the prospect of two windfarms within one kilometre of our home near Shap.

“We were advised it would reduce the value of our home by at least 30 per cent.

“However, in reality we will probably not be able to sell it.”

Ms Perkins welcomed the re-branding of council tax bands by the Valuation Agency. It remains unclear how many homes it affects in Cumbria.

But with the county having taken on a number of single and multi-turbines in recent years, there is the potential for a number of changes to be made. Across the country, five homeowners have seen their properties officially downgraded by the VOA because of their proximity to wind turbines.

But only cases that go to appeal are made public, suggesting there could be applications from Cumbrian homeowners to receive council tax discounts.

A VOA spokesman said: “We do not record the number of occasions where a band change is made by a taxpayer because of the proximity of a wind turbine or farm.

“If a taxpayer believes the value of their home has been reduced by a substantial physical change to their locality, then they may be entitled to make a proposal to alter their band.”

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk